The reporting requirement for suspicious purchases is becoming stronger by the day according to sources. The regulation requires that retailers report suspicious or unusual buying activity, thefts and losses for a broad range of chemical products.

Some products require members of the public to have a licence to purchase and the powers that be have been finding them being freely offered for sale.

Two examples of the regulated products that can now be found in pet and aquatic as well as hardware shops shops are:

• ph down – which contains above 3% nitric acid.
• Aquarium oxygenating tablets – which contain above 40% chlorate.  

An updated version of the form to record and reportsuspicious purchasing and other activities can be found on the bira website www.bira.co.uk